Drowning
by GrimRainbow
Summary: *Chapter Four and Five added!* What if Johnny wasn't unble to help Ponboy from being drowned by the Socs? Instead johnny was knocked out cold by one of them.
1. Prelude: Ponyboy: Drowning

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Takes place when the Socs try to drown Ponyboy.

This is my first Outsiders fic, my friend is Purified_Darkness, and I would like to thank her for giving my this idea.

All Flames are welcome…reviews are loved.

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"You know what a Soc is?" I said, my voice quivering with anger. "White trash with Mustangs and madras." Then, since I couldn't think of anything ghastly enough to call them, I spat at them.

Bob, the kid with the rings, shook hit head smiling slowly. "You could use a bath greaser, as well as a good working over. We've got all night to do it. David, give the kid a bath." 

The chase was on.

Johnny and I ducked under the bars and tried to run for it, but a Soc grabbed my arm and twisted it behind my back. 

While I struggled I shouted to Johnny for him to make a run for it. "Go Johnny! Run!" The Socs turned me around and bent me down, pushing my upper body into the fountain. I fought violently and I was able to push my self up to gasp for air. 

When I did, I saw a Soc kick Johnny in the back of neck, knocking him out cold. "Johnny!" I screamed, there went my air, and I was pushed again into the fountain.

'I gonna die! I'm gonna die!' I thought every time they pushed me back into the fountain, laughing hysterically.

"Here, grease, have a drink." Bob said and pour the continents from a bottle unto me. I went back down then.

I tried to fight again, but I was getting so tired. The precious air left my lungs in forms of bubbles to the top of the water, the wavy faces of the Socs trough the light green water were disappearing…

'…I'm drowning…'

In the distance I heard sirens, but I was gone. 

Everything went dark…

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So how was it? Its just the Prelude, don't worry. More later if you want.

A. Question: Was there ever a slash-rape fic posted on here? (Slash is male x male)


	2. Chapter One: Johnny: Waking Up and ER

*Johnny*

I felt my eye lids being spread apart, then surprisingly my vision was disturbed when a bright light shone in them.

"Ow! Hey!" I moved to sit up, but pain hit me, and I was forced back down. "Damn my head hurts." I groaned rubbing the sore part on the back of my neck.

"Shouldn't have moved so fast then." I man said placing the tiny flashlight into his pocket. "And don't do it again, you have a mild concussion, we wouldn't want you to hurt yourself and more then you have, alright? Now, what is your name?"

"Johnny, Johnny Cade." I stared at him, "Concussion?"

"Yes, don't you remember you and a friend of yours…" He continued to talk but I was too busy thinking to listen to him.

Friend? What friend…?

My eyes widen. Ponyboy!

I remembered him and I running to the park he was crying and stuff. Then to Socs came, Ponyboy spat at them and they chased us…that's all I remember.

"Where's Pony?"

I guess I interrupted him because he just stared at me. "You're friend?" I nodded, then winced. He then made a note on his clip board. " He is in ER being checked out-"

"ER, the emergency room? Why?" I interrupted him again.

He stared at me again, but this time it was a I'm-very-sorry look a look of pity.

"He was," the doctors was looking for the words, "Some people tried to drown him." 

I shook my head, remembering the Socs dunking Pony in the parks fountain.

"…to call?" 

I looked at the doctor, was he saying something?

"What?"

"I said, is there anyone we should inform about your friend?"

"Y-yes, his brothers."

"Alright," He took the pen back out of his pocket. "May I have their numbers?"

"N-no, I…" I took a deep breath "I think it would be better if I called."

The doctor slowly nodded and slid the table that had the dark gray colored phone on it, over to me. "Dial 9 for an outside line." He left then, saying nothing more.

It was like I was on auto-pilot or somethin'. I slowly dialed the number, my mind was fully on Ponyboy still until a voice cut through my thoughts.

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"Curtis's place."

"Dally? That you? Why you over there?"

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"Ah well. Ponyboys gone missin'."

"Dally…I'm callin' about Ponyboy…" I took a deep breath. "Put Darry or Sodapop on the line 'kay?"

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"Alright…" There was a pause then movement, I heard Two-Bit in the background and Steve yelling something at him.

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"…Hello, Johnny?"

I nearly jumped out of my skin when his voice came on the line like that. "Yea, its me. Oh Soda somethin' awful's happened!" Why was I getting all emotional now?

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"Slow down Johnny! Now, what happened?"

"Ponyboy and I were in the park…the Socs came…they tried to drown Pony…and I was knocked out…Soda you guys just get down here quick. We're at TMC."

I heard the other line go dead, Soda probably didn't care about sports or school but he did care about his little brother. I hung up the phone, and pushed the table away form me. The room was making me sick…its was all egg shell white color…I didn't like it. 

I climbed out of the bed and immediately got dizzy. Once I pulled myself together I made my way out of the room. In front of my room was a nurses station, I made my way to it, and peered over finding a bored looking nurse. "Ma'am?"

She didn't respond.

"Excuse me, miss?"

She looked up, "Yes?"

"Where's the Emergency room?"

"Its further down the hall, you turn left and there's two double doors. Can't miss it."

"Thanks." I don't even think she heard me, she seemed to involved in…whatever she was doing.

I went down the hallway, and turned left. She enough I was in front of two large double doors. "Maybe I should wait for the others…" I was getting second thoughts. No, for once I'm gonna be brave…just, for once.

I pushed through the double doors. The ER wasn't like how it was in the movies, there wasn't blood everywhere…body parts, none of that stuff.

I walked ahead, passing beds some empty and some had people in them.

"..Nothing we can do for him here, he needs to be moved into ICU." I peered in, and 3 doctors were surrounding a patient, I stepped forward some to get a better look.

I wasn't ready for what I saw. My friend, the only guys I'd call my best buddy, was laying on the bed a tube down his throat and IVs attached to him and other things...I didn't wanna look. He looked a pale green color…his lips were a light blue.

"We need to get a respirator on him stat, move him to ICU now!" They pushed the bed from the wall and forward, I had to jump out of the way from being ran over.

"No…" I moved forward, I wanted to run but I couldn't. "Pony!" I screamed, people stared about me but I didn't give a hoot. I moved forward again, I wanted to run…I had to. Me feet started working again, I was able to run out of the ER and down the hall…

… "I DON'T KNOW! I JUST GOT A CALL SAYING THAT MY LITTLE BROTHER WAS HERE! NOW WHERE THE HELL IS HE?"

"Sir…I'm not certain. All I know is that your brother is being moved from ER."

Dally saw me before the other noticed I was there. He walked-ran over to me, and grabbed me roughly by the shoulders. "Johnny what happened?" He others circled us in a second, and questions hit me like a bomb.

"Yo stop! If we don't shut our traps Johnnycakes won't open his."

I gave him a silent thank you, and then looked at me feet…my head was still pounding. "Me and Pony were in the lot…and uh he went home. Then he came running back he was crying and stuff…he said um…that…" I trailed off when I looked at Darry…he looked guilty. "So we went to the park…" I continued. "Some Socs came…they nearly drowned Ponyboy…and knocked me out…he's blue…he's still blue."

I felt weak and sick…I was gonna be sick. Two-Bit came to my rescue, he grabbed a small trash can that was sitting in front of the nurses station, and I threw up what was left of the popcorn I had eaten at the movies…

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Alrigthy now…Please review


	3. Chapter Two: Darry: Robert Frost and The...

*Darry*

4:32 AM

I popped my knuckles for the 50th time since we've been at the hospital. I picked up the coffee that was sitting at me feet and stared at it.

Have you ever noticed when coffee got cold, it looked nasty?

It does. I stood and threw it in the trash. When I turned to go back to my seat, a doctor walked in, but he wasn't for us. He went over to another family and they got up and left with him.

I heard Soda sigh…he looked tired. He was tried…all of us were. I had thought the guys would've left long ago, but they stayed. Even Dally was still here.

Tim Shepard and his brother Curly Shepard had came by asking about Pony- words gets around fast in the 'greaser community'- then they left, saying they'd be back tomorrow.

It was already tomorrow…I looked out the window, the sun was rising. Johnny was standing at the window looking out…

Poor kid, he was blaming himself…when I'm the one to blame.

I shouldn't have hit Pony. He scared me to death…I thought he was dead or somethin…now, he could be.

"Nature's first green is gold, 

Her hardest hue to hold. 

Her early leaf's a flower; 

But only so an hour. 

Then leaf subsides to leaf. 

So Eden sank to grief, 

So dawn goes down to day. 

Nothing gold can stay."

I looked at Johnny. "What did you say?"

"It's a poem, by some dude named Robert Frost. Ponyboy taught me it awhile back." (1)

"Yea…he reads it a lot." Soda said, "Early some morning's, I watch him lookin' out the window and sayin' it." Soda went silent,

"That kid amazes me, he's smart, still in school…he has a future." Dally said, which shocked us all. "What? He does…"

"Yea…" we all agreed in unison.

Soda bent over letting out a loud gasped before tears started streaming down his face. "Why ain't they telling us something! I want to know what's goin on with my brother!"

I knelt down beside him and wrapped my arms around him, I wanted to cry…but I couldn't…I felt so hopeless right now. "Shh…Pony'll be fine. He's strong he'll pull through."

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Forever seemed to go by twice before the same doctor from earlier came in again, since we were the only people in the waiting room, he came straight to us. I immediately stood, so did the others.

"Well…" The doctor was taking to long to say anything, I wanted to hit him, or to hit something!

He cleared his throat and something about the way he was looking at us…he had bad news.

"He's not dead!" Soda screamed, he was thinking the same thing I was.

"No, you're right, he is not dead." The doctor said. I only let my self get a tag reliefed, before I tensed up again. "However, he is not well off. When he came in the paramedics said they got to call at least seven minutes before they got to the site. They boys who…hurt your brother were gone, but his head was still under water." The doctor paused. 

"Get to the point doc." Dally stepped forward, his voice was threatening.

"He has chronic brain damage, even thought he's in a comatose state right now we can tell. He has mild swelling of the brain which is a sign that his brain is damaged, and he is none responsive at the moment."

"W-What are you saying." It wasn't a question, it was a demand…I stared at the doctor and I say he backed away from me slightly.

"I'm saying if the swelling goes down, and if he wakes up…Ponyboy Curtis will never be the same again."

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So? So? So? Review!

1. I love the poem so I had to put it in there some how. Also, it's a big part of the story, you'll see.


	4. Chapter Three: Sodapop: Click Been Sigh

N-No…the doctor had to be lying. My brother is fine…He almost drowned once before…he was fine then. And he had to be under the water then, like a good 30 seconds top…enough to bring our mom into a panic.

In the country, there was a pond about a mile from our house. Me Pony and Darry use to run to the pond the second we got out of the car. Pony loved it especially when the sun was going down…he liked the way the light reflected off the water or something.

He was about 8 when it happened. Mom and Dad told him never to go down to the pong without me or Darry with him. But, did he listen? No…he was as hard headed then as he is now. He went down to the pond, alone. 

Darry and I were cleaning Mick Mouse, my house, when we head a scream. 

Mom was out of the house in a second, running down to the pond where the scream had came from…I guess Pony got his running speed from mom…

She knew the second after the scream that it was Pony, she said she was looking for him at the same time.

So Dad, me and Darry took off after her. Mom wasn't ever a screaming woman, but she was then.

We made it to the pond, in record time, enough time to see Pony splashing and stuff. Dad and Darry jumped into the Pond…I stood there like stone, while mom paced back and forth yelling, "My Baby!"

Darry and Dad brought Pony to shore, he was coughing and throwing up water. 

But he was fine…

He had to be fine now…

Right?

I looked at Darry, he was about to loose it…The doctor was saying something about a small surgery they did to relive the pressure off his brain, and something about a respirator. …Why? He should be in there helping my brother!

I guess I said it out loud since, they were looking at me.

"Why aren't you in there helping him?" I growled.

"We've did all that we could." He said

"Well, call some more people!" Arms were wrapped around me then, I looked at Steve…I looked in his eyes for an answer but there was none…there wasn't an answer in anyone's eyes. We all looked lost.

"We all want to see him…" Darry said quietly.

The doctor was going to argue, but he just nodded.

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The ICU…was quiet. Only noises were the shuffling of the nurses feet, and the beeping of heart monitors. I didn't realize I was holding my breath, until I became dizzy. Johnny rubbed my shoulder comfortably and I only gave him a weak smile..

I wanted to turn away and go back to the waiting room…or just go home. I couldn't…I couldn't leave Darry alone, and I couldn't leave my baby brother….

The nurse slide up and large glass door, and opened a curtain that was inside of the glass cubicle. Darry went in before us…he was always first…he always was brave or he tried to be brave.

Once we were all inside the nurse steeped in an shut the curtain. She went to the bed and we all just stood there…almost dumbfounded.

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Click. Beep. Sigh

I stared at my baby brother, machines, tubes and IVs were hooked up to his body, making him look so tiny. A sky blue tub ran into his mouth and down his throat, his head was loosely bandaged, IVs were stuck to his arm, and a small thin tube ran down his nose.

Click. Beep. Sigh.

Dally made the first move. I watched move forward and touch Pony's hand softly. "What is all this shit?" He said, he sounded angry.

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Click. Beep. Sigh

"T-the small tube is a feeding tube, and larger one is part of the respirator-" She stopped, Dally was shaking his head.

Click. Beep. Sigh

"I-I can't see him like this." He then stormed out, not before looking back and shaking his head again.

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Click. Beep. Sigh

I moved forward then, and Darry moved after. We both took his hands and either side.

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Click. Beep. Sigh

"Hey Pon." Darry was saying, "Doctors say you're not going to be the same, but you will. You'll prove them wrong."

Click. Beep. Sigh.

"Yea Pony, you're strong." Tears were running down my face…I couldn't hold it in any longer. I broke down. "Please don't leave us! Please!"

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The _Click. Beep. _Sigh of the respirator was my only reply…

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Please review…

Sorry for errors and other things

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B. Question: Did the Curtis's live in the country or was is like a vacation spot?


	5. Chapter Four: Dally: Movie House

*Dally*

I had to go, I couldn't see the kid like that!

I jammed my hands in my pockets as I cross the street, without even looking both ways. I heard someone honk their horn and call me a "Crazy Hood!" Nothing new, why should I even bother…

My mind was on the kid in that hospital room surround by tubes and shit…he shouldn't be there. He's so young! So fucking young!

Those damn doctors, they say that he'll never be the same…some stuff won't work for him anymore, some shit like that. Doctors aren't good for anything! They weren't good in New York and their not good in Tulsa.

I took a balled up fist from my pocket and hit the trunk of an old tree. Damn that smarts! I shook my hand hissing. It hurted…but fuck I didn't care.

"Ponyboy…" I whispered, I looked up to find myself in front of the Curtis's place. I walked inside meeting a loud silence

…loud silence. I thought people were crazy when they said that. But it was true! Hell, things can be so quiet the it hurts your ears.

"Damn kid…" I sighed. I had to get out, I wasn't use to this…there was always some kind of loud noise. I wasn't use to this at all. I left the house slamming the door behind myself.

I was back walking again.

I past the movie house just as a show was letting out, I guessed, Since people were piling out the exits. Ponyboy loved movies…would he still like them if he wakes up? I mentally kicked myself. "Stop thinking like that Dallas." 

That's when I saw the broad from last night at the drive in. She looked over at me and gave me ones of those nasty looks that girls give you when they hated your guts, and that other chick, Marsha, or something, just giggled. I didn't say or do anything…which was unusually.

"Dallas Winston!"

Fuck…did she have to use my whole name?

"What?" I growled. "Gonna throw another coke in my face?" Another unusually thing, when it came to cute looking chicks like that Cherry girl, I'd let bye gone's be bye gone's and go right back to flirting and shit. But not now…

She held up her hands to show that they were empty. "What's wrong with you-oh my gosh!" She covered her mouth and turned to Marsha, then back to me "I didn't wanna believe it…everyone's been talking about it."

I narrowed my eyes, trying to understand what she was saying:

Alright, she heard about what happened to Ponyboy but she didn't wanna believe it until she heard from one of the guys?….chicks go figure them out.

I didn't wanna hear what she had to say, I took out a cigarette and turned to leave while lighting it.

"Would you mind if we went with you to see him?" Marsha asked.

"I'm not going back there." I took a puff and continued walking. With was useless since they followed me.

"Why not? Your his friend aren't you?"

That did it. "Yes he's my friend! What'd you do if you got a friend lying in some fuckin' bed fighting for his life and those damned doctors tellin' you _if_ he'd ever wake up he'd never be the same again! How'd you take it if some young kid you're at the movies with is laughin' and playin' then just hours later he's got brain damage and could die!?" I looked at her, "and _all_ because of mother fuckin' Socs!"

She looked as if she'd been slapped, and I didn't care. "Da-Dally, I'm sorry."

"Shove it!" I spat not caring where, and stormed away.

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Sorry the whole Cherry thing was confusing. I guess. Well…yea Sorry for errors


	6. Chapter Five: Steve: Stay Gold

*Steve*

We haven't seen Dally since he stormed out two days ago. We've been worried about him since then but we know that he wasn't picked up by the fuzz or anything since, we would've got word about that if he did. We did hear about him having some kind of out burst near the movie house. Some red-headed chick told us when she came. Johnny seemed to know her.

I looked over at Soda, he was hold Pony's hand begging him to wake up. He's been doing that for hours now. His eyes were red and puffy from his crying.

I looked over at the kid, he hasn't moved on his one at all. Sometimes his mouth would move, but the doctors said it was just a reaction of his brain steams trying to connect or something.

But Soda kept thinking that Pony was trying to talk…he was going to drive himself crazy doing that,

"C'mon Pony. You have a great view of the city outside your window. Don't cha wanna wake up and see it?" 

The only noise after that was the Sighing of the machine that was breathing for Pony.

I stood then and walked over the my best friend putting a hand on his shoulder. He just looked at me with the saddest smile I ever seen. "He's gonna be fine. He's just sleeping…hes so stressed out, he needs his rest.."

"Soda…" I squeezed his shoulder, it was all I could do. He wouldn't go home, he said if Ponyboy woke up he'd want to be by his side.

Darry was no better off, he was sitting at the window looking out. If he wasn't at Pony's side, he was there. Just looking out. He had brought some of Pony's books. "He'd want to read." Was all he had said when he had brought them.

There was knock at the door and we turned to see a small ground standing at the door. Johnny, Two-Bit, Curly and Tim Shepard, Dally and that red-headed chick and her brunette friend.

"Hey." Johnny greeted as they walked in. Two-Bit came in carrying a large record player. "What's all that?" I heard Darry ask.

"it's a song Johnny picked out, he said Ponyboy likes it."

"Yeah. It goes along with that poem by Robert Frost. He always wanted it, so I found the record of it." Johnny said holding up record.

I watched and Two-Bit sat up the record player and take the type from Johnny, placing in on the player.

Darry stood, dragging his chair over the empty spot on the other side of Pony taking the boys hand.

"You'll like this Pony. Remember the first time we head it? At the Music Shop? You asked the manager to play it everyday when you came…almost drove him nuts, but he did it." Johnny squeezed Ponys left foot.

Two-Bit then turned on the player placing the needle on the black disk.

Soon the sound of a harmonica and other instruments filled the room. Its soft melody sent chills down my spine then a males voice took over sweetly and softly with the music.

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Seize upon the moment long ago

One breath away and there you will be

So young and carefree

Again you will see

That place in Time....So Gold!

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Steal into that way back when

You thought that all would last forever

But like the weather

Nothing can ever...and be in time

Stay Gold

  
Everyone was crying by then…We'll not everyone. 

Dally stood their stiff as a rock, but his eyes were teary. Tim and Curly had left the room at sometime, but I could see their outlines through the curtains. 

Two-Bit wasn't facing the group so I really couldn't tell…but his shoulders were shaking. 

Everyone else was crying Johnny was sitting on the ground his face in his hands, but the tears were running though. Cherry and her friend were crying and weren't hiding it.

Soda was hunched over bawling, his hand clutching Pony's. Darry was crying as well, he just let the tears fall freely…for once.

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But can it be

When we can see

So vividly

A memory

And yes you say

So must the day

Too, fade away

And leave a ray of sun

So Gold

  
I brought my hand up to touch my face since it felt usually wet…that when I found out I was crying.

Life is but a twinkling of an eye

Yet filled with sorrow and compassion

Though not imagined

All things that happen

Will age too old

Though Gold

Though Gold

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The song ended with the harmonica and I glanced around the room, everyone was silent. It wasn't a normal silence. But one filled with sadness and depression. I guess it hit everyone at the same time, even through no one wanted to believe it.

Ponyboy Curtis, was infact, going to change. The machines and tubes prove that…

Its funny how a song like that can just make everything clear….

"He moved his hand!" Soda's voice broke through the silence.

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I use spell checks…I reread it…excuse errors


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